Adding trellis to the top of a fence can increase decorative height, create partial screening and provide support for climbing plants without turning the whole boundary into a solid panel.
Our preferred way to plan it is straightforward: leave the fence posts longer than the main panel, then secure the trellis to those posts with suitable clips. The trellis should have its own vertical support from the posts rather than relying only on the top edge of the fence panel.
Browse the full Trellis Panels range.
Which trellis style should you use on top of a fence?
| Style | Wern-Wood sizes | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangular diamond lattice | 450, 600, 900, 1200, 1500 and 1800mm high × 1830mm wide | Straight fence-top runs, plant support and decorative screening |
| Convex diamond lattice | 300, 450, 600 and 1600mm shoulder heights × 1830mm wide | Curved decorative top where an arched profile is wanted |
| Omega diamond lattice | 300mm shoulder × 1830mm wide | Wave-shaped decorative finish across the fence line |
Rectangular trellis for a straight fence-top extension
Our Rectangular Diamond Lattice Trellis is the most straightforward shape when you want a level line across the top of a fence.
The 450mm and 600mm options are useful for a lower fence-top section. Taller versions run all the way to 1800mm and can also be used as freestanding decorative screening or plant support rather than only as a topper.
Convex trellis for an arched finish
Convex Diamond Lattice Trellis has a curved top. The listed size is the shoulder height, not the highest point of the arch.
For example, the 300mm shoulder panel rises to approximately 410mm at the maximum height, while the 600mm shoulder version rises to approximately 710mm. That matters when planning the appearance and overall finished height.
Omega trellis for a wave-shaped top
Our Omega Diamond Lattice Trellis is 1830mm wide with a 300mm shoulder height and an approximate maximum height of 410mm.
Instead of one simple arch, the shaped top creates a decorative wave along the fence run.
Trellis adds partial screening, not full privacy
Diamond lattice is deliberately open. It can break up sightlines and becomes more screened when used with climbing plants, but it should not be treated as equivalent to a closed privacy panel.
If the main job is a solid garden boundary, start with the Fence Panels range and use trellis as the decorative or planting layer above it.
Check the width before fitting trellis to an existing fence
Our trellis panels are 1830mm wide. Other Wern-Wood fence panels include products listed at 1800mm wide as well as traditional styles sold as 6ft wide.
Measure the existing bay and the support available above it before buying trellis rather than assuming every nominal 6ft component is identical.
How we recommend supporting trellis above a fence
On a new fence, the easiest arrangement is to plan the fence posts so they continue above the main fence panel. The trellis can sit directly on top of the fence panel, while the extended posts provide the vertical support.
Secure the trellis to the posts using suitable clips. The same galvanised fence panel clips used for framed fence panels are suitable for fixing trellis to timber posts.
We do not recommend simply screwing the trellis into the top or edge of the fence panel and leaving it with no vertical support. We have seen this done and it can work, but it is not the arrangement we would choose because the trellis is then relying on the panel rather than being supported independently by the posts.
Adding trellis to an existing fence with short posts
If the existing posts finish level with the top of the fence panel, our preference is to extend the posts so the trellis has proper vertical support.
The exact way you extend them is partly an appearance decision and depends on the fence you already have. Some people will want the extension to be as discreet as possible, while others may be happy for the extended post to become part of the finished look. The important point is that the trellis has a sound vertical support rather than being held only by the top edge of the panel.
If you choose to screw trellis directly to the top of an existing panel, it may hold, but it is not our preferred method because there is no independent vertical support.
Common mistakes when adding trellis
- Screwing trellis directly to the panel with no post support. It can work, but the trellis has no independent vertical support and it is not our preferred method.
- Forgetting to leave the posts long enough. Plan the trellis at the same time as the main fence where possible.
- Buying by the “6ft” description without measuring. Our trellis is 1830mm wide, while some fence panels are 1800mm.
- Reading a shaped trellis shoulder height as its maximum height. Convex and Omega panels rise above their stated shoulder measurement.
Choose your trellis
Compare all three styles in Trellis Panels, or go directly to Rectangular Trellis, Convex Trellis and Omega Trellis.
